Automatic cut-off.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

I J. H. STANTON. AUTOMATIC GUT-OPP.

, APPLICATION FILED SEPT.3, 1907.

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No. 892,193. PATBNTED JUNE 30, 1908. J. H. STANTON.

AUTOMATIC GUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED 8121 123, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witness c5 JOHN HENRY STANTON, OF ST. CATHERINES, ONTARIO, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908. I

Application filed September 3, 1907. Serial No. 391,069.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jenn HENRY STANTON, of the city of St. Catherines, in the county of Lincoln and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Automatic Cut- Oils; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to a device which will automatically operate to cut off the flow of gas from the gas mains to the burners when the gas pressure falls below the pressure at which the cut off is set to operate.

The invention also relates to the construction and arrangement of the parts whereby the valve can automatically adapt itself to the valve seat and form a tight contact therewith as it moves into position to cut off the gas supply through the gas outlet.

While the cut oil can be employed to control the flow of any fluid, it is particularly designed to control the flow of gas and cut off the supply when the pressure falls below any selected amount. In the case of natural gas which has a fluctuating pressure and particularly when the main cock is set to permit of only a small volume of gas passing through the gas mains, it frequently happens that the supply to the burner falls so low that the draft of the air currents extinguishes the flame, resulting in the subsequent discharge of unconsumed gas from the burners. Many fatal and serious accidents have resulted from this'cause, and in addition to the element of danger, the consumer sustains a loss by a waste of gas from which he receives no direct or indirect benefit.

The object of the present invention is therefore to devise a simply constructed and easily operated cut oil which can be set to positively operate and cut off the flow of gas from the gas main to the burners when the pressure falls below the preselected amount.

For an understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a vertical section of the cut off showing the position of the parts when the valve is open. Fig. 2, is a similar view to Fig. 1 showing the position of the parts when the valve is closed. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4, is a similar view to Fig. 3,with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawmgs.

In carrying out the object of this invention, I employ a valve body a of any suitable shape and dimensions and constructed of any suitable material and provide the valve body with an inlet port I) and an outlet port 0, which may be alined or angularly disposed as necessity requires. The face of the outlet port 0 is finished to form a valve seat (I for the slide valve 6, which is arranged to automatically adapt itself to the valve seat (1 and form a tight contact therewith, to prevent the escape of gas from the valve body, when positioned to close the outlet port. One means of permitting the slide valve to adapt itself to the valve seat is to loosely mount it on the valve stemfso that it has a limited rocking and lateral movement thereon, but is prevented from moving longitudinally thereon by a key pin g which passes through the slide valve and enters a groovef in the valve steinf. The valve stem f extends through one side of the valve body a and through a stufllng box it fitted to the said side. Extending from the back of the slide valve 6 is a wedge member i, having an inclined face oblique to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem f and secured within the valve body (1, is a wedge member which engages with the wedge member "5, as the slide valve moves into position to close the outlet )ort, and directs the slide valve against its valve seat. To facilitate the closing movement of the slide valve the valve seat (5 diverges at a small angle, preferably of about five degrees from a plane parallel with the valve stem toeliminate the frictional con tact of the slide valve and valve seat during the initial part of the closing movement of the slide valve. The divergence of the face of the valve seat permits the use of a light actuating spring k, which as shown in the drawings, is of a substantially U shape, coiled at its bend, with the free ends of its arms engaging the slide valve and the inner surface of the adjacent side of the valve body. The valve body extends slightly above the top of the slide valve and fitted on the valve body is the cover Z. Extending through the cover is a plunger m the lower end of which is seated on a diaphragm 'n. The diaphragm "a is acted on by the pressure within the valve body and raises the plunger on when the pressure in the valve body is collar 6.

greater than the pressure at which the apparatus is set. Surrounding the plunger m on the outer side of the cover Z is a stufiing box 0. The lunger m extends above the top of the stu 'ng box 0 and is provided with a transverse pin 19, which engages the forked end g of the operating lever 1". The lever r, is fulcrumed intermediate its ends to an arm 8 projecting from the cover Z, and is arranged vertically above the valve stem The end of the lever 7* remote from the plunger m engages in a slot t in the latch a, which is employed to lock the valve stem to hold the slide valve in its open position. The latch u is formed with an elliptical slot '0, through which passes the outer end of the valve stem, and within the slot 4) are two small pointed projections to which ride on the valve stem as it moves through the slot 12. The projections w reduce the area of the contacting surfaces of the latch and valve stem and thus minimize the friction resulting therefrom. The valve stem f is formed with a groove 00 which operates as a locking member to receive the latch u when the valve is in its open position and the engaging edge of the groove 00 is pro vided with a Ushape projection y which engages with the latch u to reduce the frictional contact of these parts when in their holding osition. Projecting from the adjacent side face of the valve body a is a bracket .2 having a slideway a to guide the movement of the latch as it drops into position in the groove ac, and as it is raised therefrom. An arm b extends from the valve body a on the opposite side to the arm 8 and projecting from the arm I) is a lug c to which is secured an L shaped pressure spring d. The longi tudinal arm of the L-shaped pressure spring cZ engages in a slot in the plunger m and the short arm of the pressure spring (1 is contained between the forks of a screw threaded Adjustable within the screw threaded collar 6, is a tension screw f which engages the short arm of the L-shaped pressure spring d to vary the pressure of the spring on the plunger to correspond with the minimum pressure within the valve body at which it is desired to operate the cut off, the action of the pressure spring moving the plunger and bringing the pin p into engagement with the forked end of the lever 12.

The operation of the deivce is as follows The pressure of the spring d is set by the adjustment of the tension screw f to corre spond with the pressure at which the cut off is intended to operate. The pressure of the gas in the valve body a acting on the diahragm n raises it and the plunger m to reieve the forked end g of the lever r from the pressure of the pin The valve stem f is manually in-pressec to displace the slide valve c from its valve seat, and when the valve stem is so positioned, the latch it moves by gravlty into the groove 0 to lock the valve stem in its in-pressed position and thus hold the slide valve off the valve seat. While the pressure in the valve body remains at or above the preselected amount the slide valve remains positioned to open the outlet port. When the pressure falls below the preselected amount, the pressure of the spring (1 operates to force the plunger m and the transverse pin 1) towards the stuffing box 0. As the pin p moves in the direction of the stuffing box 0 it engages the forked end Q of the lever r and oscillates the lever to trip the latch a from the groove When the latch u is tripped from the groove the spring 1% moves the slide valve 6 on the valve seat (Z to close the outlet port. As the slide valve 6 moves on the valve seat d the engagement of the wedge members "L and directs the slide valve into contact with the valve seat so that the escape of gas from the valve body through the outlet port will be effectually prevented.

By constructing and. arranging the parts as above described, the action of the parts is practically co-incident with the fall of the ressure in the valve body, and the continued ow of the fluid after the pressure has fallen is automatically cut off. The specific construction of the valve and valve seat and the latch and groove minimizes the friction of the movement of the parts so that there is no risk of the interruption of the action of the device resulting therefrom.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An automatic cut off comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slide valve controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port and movable across the face of the latter, a valve stem for the slide valve, a locking member carried by the valve stem on the outer side of the valve body, a diaphragm within the valve body actuated by the pressure in the latter, a plunger supported on the diaphragm, a lever actuated by the plunger, and a locking member on the outer side of the valve body engaging with the first mentioned locking member tripped by the actua tion of the lever.

2. An automatic cut off comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valvebody, a valve rockable on the valve stem and controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, means to direct the valve against its valve seat, an actuating spring for the valve, a locking member for-the valve stem, a latch engaging with. the locking member, a plunger, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, and a lever engaging with the latch and actuated by the plunger to trip the latter out of engagement with the locking member.

3. An automatic cut off comprisingavalve plunger, an arm extending from the valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a shdable body, an L-shaped spring secured to the arm valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve rockable on the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, means to direct the valve against its valve seat, an actuating spring for the valve, a locking member for the valve stem, a latch engaging with the locking member, a plunger, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, a lever engaging with the latch and actuated by the plunger to trip the latter out of engagement with the locking member, and a spring for the plunger.

4. An automatic cut oil con'iprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve for the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, means to direct the valve against its valve seat consistingof a wedge member carried by the valve and a stationary wedge member contained within the valve body, an actuating spring for the valve, a locking member for the valve stem, a latch engaging with the locking member, a plunger, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, and a lever engaging with the latch and actuated by the plunger to trip the latter out of engagement with the locking member.

5. An automatic cut off comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve for the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, means to direct the valve against its valve seat consisting of a wedge member carried by the valve and a stationary wedge member contained within the valve body, an actuating spring for the valve, a locking member for the valve stem, a latch engaging with the locking member, a plunger, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, a lever engaging with the latch and actuated by the plunger to trip the latter out of engagement with the locking member, and means for regulating the pres sure of the spring on the plunger.

6. An automatic cut oil comprising a valve body having inlet and outletports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve rockable on the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, means to direct the valve against the valve seat, an actuating spring for the valve and valve stem, a locking member for the valve stem, a latch engaging with the locking member, a plunger, a diaphragm, within the valve body for the plunger, a lever engaging with the latch and actuated by the plunger to trip the latter out of engagement with the locking member, a tension spring for the and engaging with the plunger, and an adjusting screw to regulate the pressure of. the spring on the plunger.

7. An automatic cut oil' comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve. for the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, a spring actuating the valve and valve stem, means to direct the valve against its valve seat, a groove inthc valve stem beyond the valve body, a pointed locking member on the valve stem extending into the groove, a latch engaging with the pointed locking member and having pointed projections to ride on the valve stem, a plunger extending through the valve body, a (.liaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, a lever engaging at one end with the latch and at the other end with the plunger, and actuated by the latter to trip the latch out of engagement with the locking member, and a spring for the plunger.

S. An automatic cut oil comprising a valve body having inlet aml outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve for the valve stem controlling the passage from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, a spring actuating the valve and valve stem, means to direct the valve against its valve seat, a groovein the valve stem beyond the valve body, a pointed locking member on the valve stem extending into the groove, a latch engaging with the pointed locking member, and having pointed projections to ride on the valve stem, a plunger extending through the valve body, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, a lever engaging at one end with the latch and at the other end with the plunger and actuated by the latter to trip the latch out of engagement with the locking member, a spring for the plunger, and means tovary the pressure of the spring on the plunger.

9. An automatic cut oll comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slidable valve stem extending through the valve body, a valve for the valve stem controlling the passage of the fluid from the inlet port through the valve body to the outlet port, a spring actuating the valve and valve stem, means to direct the valve against its valve seat, a groove in the valve stem beyond the valve body, a pointed locking member on the valve stem extending into the groove, a latch engaging with the pointed locking member and having pointed projections to ride on the valve stem, a plunger extending through the valve body, a diaphragm, within the valve body, for the plunger, a lever engaging at one end with the latch and at the other end with the plunger, and actuated by the latter to trip the latch out of engagement with the locking member, a spring for the plunger, and a slideWay secured to the valve body to guide the movement of the latch.

10. An automatic cut off comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a slide valve controlling the passage from the inlet port through the Valve body to the outlet port, movable across the face of the latter, an actuating spring to move the slide valve to close the outlet port, the slide valve being arranged to be manually opened, a diaphragm Within the valve body actuated by the pressure therein, a plunger supported by the diaphragm, a locking member for the slide valve,

and a locking member actuated by the plun- 15 JOHN HENRY STANTON.

Signed in the presence of C. H. RIcHEs, OLIVE BATEMAN. 

